Can I create a developer sandbox account in the UK without a business?

[LeicesterChris]

I'm currently helping a charity with their website; I'm not a web expert by any means, but I can just about work my way around WordPress and use plug-ins to create PayPal buttons. I have my own personal PayPal account, and the charity does have a business PayPal account, but I don't want to touch that yet. What I would like to do is, on a spare domain that I have, set up a few screens to demonstrate how they can use PayPal on the website to take membership payments.

I'm not a business, just an individual, so what I'd really like is a sandbox account to make pretend payments to as proof of concept. Once the charity has decided they like the look of the site, then I'll duplicate the process using the charity's genuine PayPal business account.

Am I able to do this, or do I need to create my own business account (I'm not a business, just an individual, so don't have a legal business name) to create a sandbox or developer account? And can I even have a developer account in the UK, or is still only available in the US?

Many thanks!

Chris.

[Kavyar]

Good day @LeicesterChris 

Thank you for posting to the PayPal community.

Yes, you can create a personal sandbox account.

The PayPal sandbox is a self-contained, virtual testing environment that simulates the live PayPal production environment. The sandbox provides a shielded space where you can initiate and watch while your apps process PayPal API requests without touching any live PayPal accounts.

To create a personal sandbox account, please follow the below steps.

1. Log in to the Developer Dashboard  and navigate to the Sandbox>>Accounts page.
2. Click Create Account.
3. Set the Account Type to Personal.
4. Select a Country.
5. Click Create Account.

For additional information, kindly refer to the detailed guide link provided below.

https://developer.paypal.com/tools/sandbox/accounts/

I would like to recommend that you create a business account. This business account offers a wider range of options for receiving payments from your customers. By having a business account, you will have access to additional features and benefits that can enhance your payment processing capabilities.

If your still facing issues, please create an MTS ticket via -  https://www.paypal-support.com/s/?language=en_US  with the detailed information and error details.

Sincerely,

Kavya

PayPal MTS

If this post or any other was helpful, please enrich the community by giving kudos or accepting it as a solution.

[LeicesterChris]

Thanks for the reply, Kavya, but as I said in the original post I'm not a business - so I don't have customers and don't have a business name. I'm just helping out a charity (who does have a business account) but I want to test PayPal functionality without breaking anything they already have! Can I set up a developer account and a business account even if I'm not a business?

[Kavyar · Accepted solution]

Good day @LeicesterChris 

Yes, it is possible to set up both a developer account and a business account, even if you do not have an actual business.

The PayPal sandbox supports two types of accounts: Personal and Business. The Personal account represents the customer in a transaction, while the Business account represents the merchant.

When you register as a PayPal developer on our developer site, the PayPal sandbox automatically creates a business account and a personal account for you. Additionally, you have the option to create additional sandbox accounts either directly on the sandbox site or through our developer site.

If your still facing issues, please create an MTS ticket via -  https://www.paypal-support.com/s/?language=en_US  with the detailed information and error details.

Sincerely,

Kavya

PayPal MTS

If this post or any other was helpful, please enrich the community by giving kudos or accepting it as a solution.

[LeicesterChris]

That's very helpful - thank you very much, Kavyar!